Cirrus SF50 incident near Athens, Georgia, June 2, 2026
On June 2, 2026 at about 1:45 pm local time, a 2024 Cirrus SF50, registered N129KA, suffered minor damage in an incident during initial climb near Athens, Georgia (Athens/Ben Epps airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2026 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Georgia · Athens/Ben Epps · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus SF50 NO SERIES, built 2024 · all SF50s on the register
- Registration
- N129KA · registry record · serial 580
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 2, 2026, at 0945 eastern daylight time, a Cirrus SF50, N129KA, powered by a Williams International FJ33-5A turbofan engine, experienced an uncontained engine failure during climb from Greene County Regional Airport (KCPP), Greensboro, Georgia. There were no injuries to the pilot or passenger. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 general aviation flight from KCPP destined for Sgt. Lee Russell Carroll County Airport (KHZD), Huntingdon, Tennessee. According to the pilot, after takeoff at about 8,000ft above mean sea level (MSL), he received an engine inter-turbine temperature (ITT) warning and full authority digital engine control (FADEC) NO DISPATCH cockpit alerting system (CAS) message. He then contacted air traffic control (ATC) and requested a hold at 10,000 ft MSL, and in accordance with the checklist procedures, reduced the thrust lever setting by switching the auto throttle to manual mode and reduced the airspeed to 180 kts. The engine ITT temperature decreased, and the CAS message cleared. He reported that he remained at 10,000ft MSL for several minutes to monitor the engine parameters, and all remained within operating limits. The pilot then contacted ATC to request a small climb to see how the engine would perform, and after receiving authorization, initiated a climb to 13,000ft MSL. Seconds after advancing the engine throttle, there was a loud bang and reduction in power. The pilot reported that he pitched the airplane for best glide, declared an emergency, and received vectors to Athens-Ben Epps Airport (AHN), Athens, GA. While performing the emergency checklist procedure he attempted to “clear the engine,” which aggressively shook the airplane. He continued on vectors, deployed the flaps and landing gear, and made a no power landing on runway 9 at AHN. A post-incident examination of the airplane revealed an uncontained engine failure and separated section of engine cowl. A section of turbine disk protruded from the lower cowling structure on the right side of the airplane (Figure 1). Figure 1. Figure 1. Right Side of Airplane Engine, Post-Incident Inspection As part of the investigation process, the NTSB invited qualified parties to participate in the investigation, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Williams International, and Cirrus Aircraft. Party members from the FAA, Williams International, and Cirrus removed the engine at AHN and shipped it to Williams International in Pontiac, Michigan for teardown examination.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Uncontained engine failure during initial climb defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 298 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 11, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: KCCP Greensboro GA at 1:37 pm
- Destination: KHZD Mckenzie TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09/2, 6,122 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from KAHN, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ENG26LA026.